Shroud
by Elocinn
Summary: Then, she saw it, barely at first, for she almost believed it a trick of the lighting. Yet, something moved again a few meters away, a dark figure, hiding in the shadows of the snow. It grew until it stood tall, as if it formed from the ground itself. "What…is that?" Speculative Book 2. Two-shot. Based on animatics from SDCC.
1. Spirits

Thank god for Comic-Con. This will be a two-shot. This is _purely_ speculative, based upon what I saw from the animatics and concept art of LOK Book 2: Spirits. Has to do with the scene with the (heartless?) shadow that attacks Korra. Will have Makorra in it, fair warning.

It probably sucks cause I tried to make it as simple as possible. And it's really short. Oh well.

DISCLAIMER: Do not own LOK or anything related. Byrke and Nickelodeon does.

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**Spirits**

At first, it only sounded like the wind, howling past the animal skin walls of her tent and in between the mountains above. It echoed and reverberated as if trying to shake the very earth with its sound. Yet, as she woke further into consciousness, Korra realized it wasn't the wind. Something was actually howling, so piercingly that it began to make her ears ring.

Naga.

Cursing quietly, the Avatar bolted up in her fur-blanketed bed. Forgetting her parka, she quickly slipped her feet into her still damp boots, not even waiting to touch the soles before untying the entrance flap to her tent. Sprinting outside, she spotted her best friend irritated by something in the distant snow covered valley. The polar bear dog's head was lifted high into the air as she cried out into the subtle wind, her tail between her rigid legs and her hair standing on end. Something wasn't right.

"Quiet Naga!" Korra hissed as she reached her companion's side. "You'll wake everyone up!"

For a moment, the Avatar's presence seemed to settle the polar bear dog when she licked her master's face swiftly with a wet tongue. Yet, she let out another wail as Korra felt a series of shivers pass underneath her thick white pelt. The Avatar furrowed her brow with uneasiness, knowing full well Naga would listen to her instruction without fault.

"What's going on?"

Turning, Korra's heart sank as she saw Bolin, Mako, and the rest of her company exiting their own tents with tired countenances. Everyone had exhausted themselves from the festival in the Southern Water Tribe earlier that day and wanted nothing more than to recover. So much for trying to keep things quiet.

Korra had no time to tell the others everything was fine before a shiver ran up her own spine, chilling her in place. No, the cold of the South Pole could not do that to her, she had adapted to it as a child. These tremors originated elsewhere, from an unsettled nerve in the pit of her stomach, from her instincts. Whatever Naga had sensed had gotten close enough to trigger her own senses.

She directed her attention to the snowy expanse in front of the hill her tent was perched on. Snow drifted to the ground steadily, almost eerily. The festival lights still twinkled in the distance, her only source of light besides the crescent moon.

Then, she saw it, barely at first, for she almost believed it a trick of the lighting. Yet, something moved again a few meters away, a dark figure, hiding in the shadows of the snow. It grew until it stood tall, as if it formed from the ground itself.

"What…is _that_?"

Korra's voice caught when menacing, sapphire eyes ignited the figure's head. Suddenly, it hurtled toward her, zigzagging across the snow as its eyes streaked with its movements. She had no time to cry out before the thing lunged at her, slamming a streak of blackness at her chest. The Avatar went flying.

"Korra!"

The snow provided little cushion when Korra crashed onto the ground and continued to roll at the sheer force the figure exerted on her. She couldn't stop herself and lost all sense of direction until she finally felt her back smash against a wall of rock. Gripping the rock, the Avatar tried to stand but freezing tendrils of shadow snaked around her forearms and hoisted her against the wall, pinning her in place.

Korra could only stare. The figure greatly outsized her as it stood on distorted, muscular legs of black. Its body was completely shrouded in darkness, but it congealed to form a figure covered in black sludge. Though, it certainly didn't feel squishy or gross. No, it shook Korra to the core. The tendrils grasping her not only froze her skin, even underneath her new armbands, but they seemed to pump unimaginable terror and sorrow into her veins and nerves, pulsating throughout her being. Her breathing sped up and began to tremble along with her body. Her heart raced along with the nightmares in her mind.

Yet, nothing unnerved Korra more than the figure's eyes.

The sapphire streaked behind its head, flaring like lightning captured in a state of stillness. Its pupil-less gaze bore right into her soul, seeking her memories and emotions, her hopes and fears. They transferred all the pain and despair of the world into her heart, with a mere stare.

Korra could not move, would not move. She was utterly entranced.

_Avatar. Your time in this world is at an end. Mere mortals can no longer maintain this plane of existence. The true masters must reclaim their creations…_

Images flashed in front of her mind's eye. Two silhouettes walking in an open forest of trees made of a single, circular leaf, stretching out beyond the horizon. An ancient path of stone leading to a temple high in the mountains. A swamp flooded with golden water and inhabited by strange birds. A section of cracked and uprooted ice with a green, eerie glow spilling through the fissures.

_You're time has ended. Come back and join us, Avatar._

Then everything went black.


	2. Nightmare

Sorry for the wait. I went on vacation and such, so yeah. I might have gotten carried away with this chapter. It's a bit darker than I expected, but it fits the mood I had in mind. I'm not entirely happy with it, but considering my writer's block, its better than nothing. This has shameless Makorra in it, fyi.

Hope you enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own LOK or anything related. Byrke and Nickelodeon do.

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**Nightmare**

Damn the snow. Its lack of solidity and slipperiness slowed him down, prevented his feet from gaining traction on the ground to propel him forward at a faster rate. Mako gritted his teeth with frustration as he forced the frigid and tired muscles in his legs to run. Heavy footfalls stampeded behind him as Korra's family, Bolin, and Tenzin followed him, but he wouldn't slow down for them. He wanted to get to her first. He needed to get to Korra.

Naga's howls had disrupted his uncomfortable sleep. Something in the atmosphere had made the firebender uneasy throughout the Winter Solstice festival, but he ignored it for Korra's sake, to have some fun with his girlfriend of six months after being so busy as of late. The polar bear dog only made the pit in his stomach tighten. He should have known something was about to happen, to Korra in particular. Only when the shadows of the night transformed into a hulking beast that flung the Avatar out of sight did Mako finally act on his instincts.

He barely saw the shroud for a few seconds, but the mere glance wracked his insides with fear. His worst memories flashed before his mind's eye, the dying screams of his parents ringed in his ears. A cold more bitter than the South Pole's seeped into the thick material of his new winter jacket, penetrating all the warmth in his blood. The unnatural speed and form of the shadow ignited the panic stowed away in his heart as well. This was no ordinary creature and it was after Korra.

Mako's heart leapt into his throat when he saw the beast standing before the cliff wall several feet away. It had the Avatar pinned to the frozen rock, its version of hands wrapped around her forearms to prevent her escape. Yet, she made no struggle to free herself. Korra's cerulean irises were replaced by a glowing white light, a sight he had witnessed many times when she went into the Avatar State. Her ethereal gaze stared at the shadow's sapphire eyes, her mouth slightly agape, as if she were enraptured. They remained still as the firebender continued to near them as quickly as he could.

Then, the shroud released one of Korra's arms and in a flash snaked its tendrils around her neck. The glow from her eyes died and her irises returned, distant and shocked for a moment, before her eyelids closed. The creature pressed her against the rock wall harder as her legs began to give from under her. Her involuntary chokes sailed with the wind.

"Korra!"

Flames erupted from Mako's fist as he impulsively punched toward the shroud. The blast of fire seemed to sail slowly over the significant distance before striking the creature in the shoulder. It shrieked at the contact and skidded a few feet from the cliff wall, Korra still in its grasp. The firebender clenched his teeth at the shadow's perseverance.

"Let go of her!" He demanded with a snarl.

For a moment, the creature stood absolutely still. Mako charged toward it again, knowing Korra's time was quickly running out. He barely took two steps before the shadow snapped its head to face him, its sapphire eyes flashing until suddenly their color changed to a blazing gold. Mako's body paralyzed as the nerves in his body began to tingle abruptly, causing his limbs to twitch and his breath to hitch. If he didn't feel the shroud's gaze piercing his very soul, the firebender would have assumed he was being bloodbent again.

He tried to fight against the petrifying sensation until pain exploded throughout him.

Mako could almost guarantee every bone, vein, and organ in his body was being pulled out of him, burning through his flesh to leave him empty. His senses stopped functioning and he lost all track of time and space. Nightmares plagued his mind and he couldn't find the ability to scream aloud his anguish. Something cold pressed against his melting skin, but he could barely register anything but pain.

Then it stopped.

Everything came crashing back to him. Mako opened his eyes, finding himself lying exhausted in the snow. Yet, his body did not ache, his insides felt fine. Sitting up, he breathed in steadily as his senses recomposed themselves. It was as if he had just imagined all that pain and suffering. It was as if he had woken from a nightmare.

"Mako! Are you ok? You're shaking like a leaf."

Bolin's voice crisply reached his hearing. Yet, Mako just stared ahead, trying to figure out what just happened. His brother's hand on his shoulder finally impelled him to glance at his surroundings. Tonraq, Unaloq, and Tenzin had distracted the shroud from him, battling it with whips of water and gusts of air. They were having trouble holding their ground as the shadow slashed at them with his gelatinous arms, zipping to and fro in a streak of black and gold. Mako's eyes widened.

"Where's Korra?" He rasped glancing around frantically.

"I don't – over there!"

The earthbender pointed to a lump of blue and brown lying in the middle of the white expanse of snow a few feet away. Mako scrambled to his feet and raced toward the immobile Avatar, skidding onto his knees when he reached her side.

"Bolin, keep a look-out." The firebender muttered as he gingerly lifted Korra out of the frigid snow.

She began to cough heavily as her lungs continued to grasp for oxygen. Her eyelids fluttered and she mumbled quietly, incoherently. Yet, nothing marred her neck, no marks, no sign of a struggle. Mako shook his head in disbelief, surprised her tanned skin hadn't turned red after being strangled. When he stroked her neck, though, it felt as if he had thrust his fingers into ice water. Her skin was freezing where the shadow touched her and, for a moment, Mako panicked at the lack of warmth.

"Korra. Korra!" His voice cracked as he cried out. "Korra, you have to wake up, right now. Don't do this to me!"

He cradled her closer to him and shook her exposed shoulder. Relief washed through him when he felt heat radiate off her skin there. Breathing in deeply, he shifted to cup her face and brush away a few loose strands of her chocolate hair. The Avatar's eyes fluttered open at the touch and her hazy cerulean irises met his sharp gold ones.

"M-Mako?" Korra breathed before another series of coughs escaped her.

"I'm right here, Korra." He assured, leaning forward to kiss her forehead briefly.

She groaned softly as she began to move her muscles. Mako helped her sit up, though he grew anxious about her moving too much. Rubbing her neck, she turned to the firebender.

"What happened?" The Avatar questioned casually.

"You were attacked by this black thing and it tried to choke you." The firebender recalled bitterly. "You don't remember?"

"No." She sighed, closing her eyes as she searched her memories. "All I remember were visions and a voice threatening me."

"What did it say?"

"I don't know."Korra snapped, but hastily tried to amend her harshness. "Sorry, I just feel so numb right now."

"It's alright." Mako grasped her hand as his expression softened.

It wasn't until then he realized the area had grown quiet. No sounds of a battle, no shrieks or grunts. They were completely alone

"Where's Bolin?"

The earthbender was no longer in sight.. The shadow was no longer present either, along with its three attackers. Mako jumped to his feet and searched through the falling snow frantically. Korra quickly joined him albeit unsteadily. They could only see a trail of hurried footsteps and chunks of rock leading down the hill.

"That black thing, where did it go?" The Avatar asked. "Did Bolin go to fight it on his own?"

"No. Tenzin, your father, and your uncle held it back." Mako explained.

Korra's head snapped to face him, her face twisted with fear. She bolted down the slope and left the firebender behind, bending the snow to give her speed. Mako called out in alarm before cursing under his breath. He should have known she was going to do that. Wasting enough time, he swiftly followed the cloud of snow trailing behind the Avatar as it aimed for the entrance to the festival grounds.

His heart raced as he imagined the scene he would come upon. Tenzin, Tonraq, and Unaloq could have sustained serious injuries. His brother could be writhing on the ground from the unseen nightmares the shroud's golden eyes produced. Korra could be wrapped in its grasp again, battling death. The images only compelled him to run faster.

The wind abruptly picked up as he finally reached the festival grounds. The snow turned red as flames shot through the air in balls and torrents. The earth rumbled and the snowflakes melted into suspended droplets. Glancing up, Mako saw Korra atop a tornado of air as she fought the shroud on the ground below with all the elements at her disposal. Her glowing eyes accentuated the ire written on her face, disregarding her surroundings as she focused solely on her enemy. The wooden booths cracked and splintered into pieces, many ignited with flames and blown miles away. Many of the rides were no longer recognizable, their ice and metal parts scattered everywhere. Korra left a path of destruction in her wake, but the shadow refused to back down.

A groan interrupted Mako's attention and he turned to find Bolin lying in the snow. Calling out his brother's name, the firebender grabbed him by the shoulders and looked him over.

"Are you alright?" Mako spoke quickly. "Are you hurt?"

"Nah, I'm fine." Bolin assured, rubbing the back of his head. "I just felt like my insides were being ripped out."

The firebender furrowed his brow, but said nothing. Bolin seemed completely unharmed despite the pain he described, just as Mako felt before when he succumbed to the shadow's gaze. He looked around and saw Tenzin, Tonraq, and Unaloq struggling to wake from unconsciousness as well, assuming they had the same nightmare he and Bolin experienced. Something caught their eyes, though, when they directed their attention to the festival entrance.

Following their gaze, Mako found Korra standing shakily on her feet with her head bowed. Instantly, he could tell she wouldn't be able to hold herself up for much longer and rushed to her just as she collapsed. Kneeling in the snow, he propped her up against him and settled her head on his shoulder. She breathed heavily against his neck.

"Where is it?" Mako questioned gently. "Did you kill it?"

"It just…vanished." Korra gasped. "I heard this awful high-pitched whistle and then it just disappeared. I have no idea where it went."

"But it's gone." The firebender confirmed. "That's all that matters."

"It's not gone." The Avatar's voice shook, her tense gaze capturing his. "It _will_ come back."


End file.
